Brain Aneurysm Foundation Liliana’s Story
When Liliana Fogel lost her beloved grandmother to a sudden brain aneurysm in 2019, she turned her grief into action. In this video, Liliana shares the heartbreaking night that changed her life, how she created Maintain Your Brain to promote early detection, and why her advocacy work is a lasting tribute to her grandmother’s memory.
Video Transcript:
In 2019, my grandmother passed away unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm. She was truly the best person I knew. Every Friday night, she and my grandpa would go on a date, and this Friday was no different until they returned home. She started talking about how bad her head hurt, describing it as a really bad headache.
My grandpa checked her blood pressure, and it was extremely high. She began to feel very dizzy, so we laid her on the bed. Then she started seizing. I watched it all happen, and it was incredibly hard to process. I had no idea at the time how serious it was.
For weeks, even months after, I was in shock. I kept asking myself: What is a brain aneurysm? Why did this happen? Why did God take away my nanny? My mom’s reaction was more immediate. She wanted to get checked right away in case it could happen to her.
A year or two later, once I understood more about what had happened, I began thinking about how I could help others. That’s when I created Maintain Your Brain, an initiative to promote brain health and encourage early detection to prevent brain aneurysms.
Through Maintain Your Brain, I’ve completed over 100 community service hours, partnered with Kendra Scott and the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, and raised over $3,000. Even though my grandmother is no longer here, this work makes me feel connected to her. I know I’m doing something in her memory, and I plan to continue advocating for brain aneurysm awareness for the rest of my life.